Buffing mechanism



Jan. 22, 1929.

H., J. LOUNSBURY BUFFING MECHANISM Filed July 29, 1927 .tty

Ingen/fof HarueyJLaamsagy y ya? mw. Nm

retenes .im a2, i929.

narran status HARVEY J. Lounsnunv, or GLEN ELLYN, ILLrNors, Assieuon ToVw. n. Minnie, INC.,

ranges ra'rEN'r OFFICE.

OF CHICAGO, LLINOIS, A CORPRATION OF DELAWARE.

BUFFING MECIIANISM.

appueanon inea muy ae, 1927. serial No. 209,245.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in butling mechanisms.

@ne object of the invention is to provide a bufling mechanism,especially adapted for railway cars, including a friction mechanismresisted by spring means, wherein the spring means also acts to providefor free spring resistance to absorb the bufting shocks.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide in a bufiingmechanism a shock absorber including a friction casing having frictionelements cooperating therewith and a main spring `resistance within thecasing cooperating with the friction element-s, the main springresistance comprising a plurality of members all of which opposemovement of the friction means, and certain of which in addition providefree spring resistance during the first part ofthe compression stroke ofthe shock absorber to take care of the lighter bufting shocks.

@ther objeotsof the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter` following.

ln the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is avertical, longitudinal sectional view taken centrally through theplatform of a railway car illustrating my improvements in connectiontherewith. Figure 2 is a horizontal, longitudinal sectional view throughthe shock absorber of my improved mechanism. Figure 3 is a front endelevational view of the shock absorbing mechanism proper. And Figure lis a rear end elevational view thereof.

In said drawings, indicates the `end platform of Va passenger carprovided with the usual pocket ll in which the shock absorber proper ismounted. The shock absorber is supported in operative position by theusual wear plate 1Q extending longitudin cally of the pocket and securedby rivets to the under-frame 13 of the car. '.lhc (n dinary buffer stemis indicated by let, the same being slidably mounted and having the rearend thereof cooperating with the shock absorber. The front end of thebuffer stein le cooperates with the buifing platform l5 of the car. Theplatform l5 is supported m the usual manner by side stems, not shown.

yThe shock absorber proper of my improved mechanism comprises broadly acasing El; a wedge bloclr B; two friction shoes design. except VC-C;twin arranged main spring resistance casing are designated by 16, and asmost y clearly shown in Figure 2, the rear end por tions of these wallsare inwardly thickened as indicated at 17. The thickened sections 17 ofthe side walls are recessed as indicated at 18 'to receive enlargements19 on the outer sides of interior liners 2O to anchorthe liners to thecasing A against longitudinal movement.` The liners 2O present opposedinwardly converging flat friction surfaces 2l. The front end of thecasing A is provided with an opening 22, the opening being of lesserwidth than the interior of the casing, the side walls being providedwit-h inturned sections 23 forming limiting stopsto limit outwardmovement of the spring follower E. lnwardly of the limiting stops 23 thecasing is provided with a transverse parti tion wall 24 which serves asabutment means for limiting inward movement of the spring follower andalso as abutment means for the front end of certain of the members ofthe spring resista-nce means l). The partition wall 24E is provided witha pair of openings E25-25 for a purpose hereinafter pointed out.

The wedge blockB in the form of a hollow cored member having atransverse rear abutment face 2G adapted to co-operate with an innerabutment face 27 of the buffer pocket proper. At the forward end thewedge block B is provided with a pair of wedge faces 28 and 29, thewedge face Q8 being disposed at a relatively blunt angle with respecttothe longitudinal axis of the shock absorber andthe wedge face 29 beingdisposed at a relatively been angle with rcspect to said axis. y

The friction shoes Ge-C `are of similar as hereinafter pointed, out.Fach of the friction shoes C is provided with an outer friction surface30 adapted to cooperate with the friction surface 21 the correspondingliner 20. G11-the inner' side each friction shoe is provided" with alateral enlargement having a wedge faceon the outer side thereofcooperating `with one of the wedge faces of-the wedge block B. The wedge"face 'of the shoe which cooperates with `the "wedge face, 28 of theblock B is designated by 31 and the wedge face of the shoe C, whichcooperates with the wedge face 29 of the wedge bloeir -B is designatedby 32.

The twin arranged main spring resistance elements D are disposed withinthe casing A.. Each element of the twin arranged spring resistance meansD comprises an inner coil member 33 and an outer coil member 34;.The-coil member 34 is lieaviei` than the inner coil member, as clearlyshown in Figure 2.

'lhe inner coil ineinbers il?, are of considerably greater length thanthe outer coil inemberi '3l and extend thibugh the openings 25 of thepartition wall 2l and have ltheir forward end bearing directly on thespring follower E. Both coils 33 and 34.- of the twin spring resistanceelements AD hawe their rear `ends bearing on thespring follower F.

The forward ends of the outer 'coils 34 of the spring resistance ineansDbear `directly on the partit-ion wall 24.

` The spring follower lil Ais in the form voa substantially rectangularplate cut awaylit 'opposite sides vto 'present wing-like "extensions 35adapted to engage in rback of the abutment members 23 to `limit outwardmovement of the spring follower and hold the sanne -asselnbled with thecasing, The outer face of the spring follower bears -directly on theinner end `of `thebufl'er stem 14.

The 'spring' follower F is also in 'the form of a substantiallyrectangular lplate and-is of such a width that the opposite sidevportfio'ns thereof bear on the front ends 'of the liners 20, therebylimiting rearward n'iovel'nfent of the ispring follower F.

The auxiliary spring resistance G is interposed between the springfollower lT and the auxiliary spring follower disc J, which bearsdirectly on. the enlargements of `tli'e friction shoes itl- Q. p

The wedge block B is anchored to lthe spring follower F by the retainerbolt H which hasr the hcadwtheijeof disposed within a. pocket at thefront side' of the yspring fo owerlf fand the `nut thereof disposedi'vithin theu hollow portion of the wedge block B. The retainer bolt Hholds the frietien @stem assembled with the casing. As 'most elearlysown in lfigur'e 2 in fthe normal position of the parts, the frictionshoes C are slightly spaced from the front end of the spring follower F.thereby pni'niitting a certain amount of relative movement when themechanism is operated to 'assure the setting up vof the wedging action.

The operation of iny improved bulfing mechanism is as follows: Thebuffi-ng stein 14 Inov'ed inwardly toward the shock obsorbing mechanismby enga-gement of the buffer plate 15 with 'the outer end of the stem,the buffer plate being in turn actuated by engagement with acorresponding buffer plate on the adjacent car. Upon inward movenient ofthe stem 14 the spring follower E will be forcedinwardly of the casingA,

`thereby compressing the coils 323 of the twin 4first part of thebniling action. It will be evident that the mechanism thus 'affordsrelatively light spring action during the 'early part of the compressionof the shock absorbing member. The describedaction will coi1- tinueuntil the spring follower E engages the partition wall 2l of the casingA. wherei upon the casing will be forced learwardly in unison with thesiliring follower E. r the casingr forced rearwardly, the wedge blocklil will be moved inwardly relatively to the casing A, thereby settingup a wedging action between the wedge block and the shoes C and forcingthe shoes C inwardly on the friction surfaces of the liners 20. The inward movement of the friction means com prising the shoes C-C and thewedge block B is resisted by both the inner and outer coils of the twotwin arranged spring resist ance elements D `during the remainder of thecompression stroke. The compression action `of the shock absorber willcontinue until the rear end of the casing A engages the abutment 27 ofthe buffer pocket, whereupon the actuating force will be transmitteddirectly through the casing A5 the latter acting as a solid column loadtransmitting member to prevent undue compression of the springresistance elements D.

Upon release, when the actuating force transmit-ted by the stem ll isreduced, the initial act-ion will bean out ard movement of the springfollower E due to the expansive action of the springs 33. In thisconnection, it is pointed ont that ther-e is thus always provided anavailable. free spring action after initial release of the shocliabsorliniz During the continued releasing action oui "ard movement ofthe spring follower E will be limited by engagement thereof with theabutments 23 of the caes ing A. Upon movement of the spring follower Ebeing limited. as described, the further expansive action of the springs93 and the tendency 'of the springs 3l to ,fxpaind also will return thefriction means including the shoes VCVs-C and the wedge block B to thenormal position shown in Figure 2. will be evident, outward movement ofthe entire friction meanswis 4limited by the wedge block B which isanchored to the fspring fol lower F by the retainer bolt H, outward llllmovement of the spring follower' F boing limited by engagement with theliners 20; as hereinbefore pointed out.

"While I have herein shown and described what I now consider thepreferreffl manner of carrying` ont my invention; the saine merelyillustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that comewithin the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1.In a batting mechanism, the combination with an innerI abutment; of astem adapted to transmit the batting' shoclts; a

casing provided with interior friction surfaces; fr tion meanscooperating' with the casing' friction surfaces, said friction meansincluding` a wedge nreinber bearing,` on the inner abnti'nent; twinspring resistance means within the casing, each of said twin springresistance means including a springl element interposed between thebuffer stein and the friction system; a springfollower' cooperatingrwith said buffer stem and .spring elen'ien'ts; and means on the casinallimiting inward movement of the spring follower' with respect to thecasing.

2. In a shock absorber for baiting mechanisms, including an innerabutment and a stem adapted to transmit the butling forces, thecon'ibination with a casing having interior friction surfaces at one endand abutment means adjacent the other end thereof; friction meanscooperating with the friction surfaces of the casing; said frictionmeans including' wedge means bearing on said inner abutment; springfollower means at the end of the casing provided with the abutmentmeans, said spring;1 follower having` its movement inwardlyT of thecasing .limited by said abutment means; and twin arranged springresistance elements within the casing, each element including;` twomembers, one member being interposed between the abutinent means and thefriction means and the other member being interposed between the springlfollower and the friction means.

3. In a shock absorber for bufling mechanisms, the combination with acasing having interior friction isurfaces at one end and abutment meansat the other end thereof; friction means cooperating;l with the frictionsurfaces of the casing; a spring` follower at the end of the casingprovided with the abutment and movable toward and away from saidabutment, inward movement with respect to the casing being; limited bysaid abutment; twin arranged spring resistance elements, each includingan inner and an outer coil, the inner coil beingl interposed between thespring follower' and the friction means and the outer coil beinginterposed between the abutment and the friction means.

1l. In a shoe-lr absorber for birding" mechanisins, the combination witha casing having' a friction shell section at one end there-- of; ofspring follower means at the other i end of the casing, said spring`follower moans havinglimited movement inwardli7 of the casing, saidspring follower being adapted to receive the actua-ting,- force;abutment means for limiting inward movement of said spring follower;friction means cooperating with the` friction shell section of thecasing, said friction means including a pressure transmittting spreadingelement; and twin arranged spring resistance elements within the casing,each element includinicgl inner and outer members, oneV of said meinbersof each element being interposed be tween the spring; follower' and thefriction means and the other member of said element being interposedbetween the abutment means and said friction means.

In witness that I claim the foregoing' I have hereunto subscribed myname this 26th day of July, 1927.

HARVEY J. LOUNSBURY;

